GF Vegan Spring Rolls & GF Chocolate Chewy Crispers!

Tags

avocado, brown rice, carrots, chinese, chocolate, cilantro, cucumber, dessert, eggs, GF cookie, gluten free, Maker's Diet, mango, Meringue, peanut butter, Roxy, spring rolls, tofu, vegan

Sometimes, everyone needs a good rainy day. A day where staying in your PJs is completely acceptable because it’s raining buckets outside. Where you bake cookies while you listen to the rain pelting the roof, and enjoy every minute of it. A rainy day every once in a while is good for the soul:)

Today was one of those days.

fresh and flavorful!

For dinner, I utilized pantry staples, since no one wanted to brave the weather and leave the house. So, I made a fantastic Chinese Lime Tofu over Brown Rice with fresh Mango Avocado Spring Rolls! Yum! This was such a fun meal! Fun to eat and fun to make!

GORGEOUS caramelization on the tofu!

Here’s what you need: (one serving)

1/3 block tofu — pressed and cut into triangles

Stir Fry Sauce:
2 Tbsp Tamari (low sodium GF soy sauce)
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp agave
juice of 1 lime
2 garlic cloves, grated
1 green onion, sliced

First, get your rice going. It will take a full hour.

Start out by pressing your tofu.

Cut your tofu into 6 slices, and then place them on a clean kitchen-towel-lined plate, and press with a heavy pan. While they’re pressing, make your sauce. After about 15 minutes, cut the slabs into squares, and then the squares into triangles. Season with salt and pepper.

sticky, chewy rice!

OK. Take a big, non-stick pan, and spray it with EVOO. Then, place your tofu triangles in a single layer in the pan, and let them form a crust — read: don’t touch them for 5-6 minutes. It was really surprising to me, that when they were searing, they were popping and sizzling! This is a good thing! While they’re searing, sprinkle them with 1 Tbsp organic sugar! Also, combine your sauce ingredients and set aside. Then, flip them, and let the other side sear for another 2 or 3 minutes. Then, add your sauce. It will bubble and can burn, so just coat the tofu and then quickly transfer to a plate. Place this on top of your rice. Garnish with green onion and cilantro. Yum!

avocado and mango goodness!

Finally, the Mango Avocado Spring Rolls!!

Here’s what you need:

Rice Paper Wrappers
1 mango, diced
1/2 avocado, diced
2 carrots, shredded
1/2 cucumber, shredded
cilantro

Dipping Sauce:
2 Tbsp Tamari
Zest and Juice of 1/2 lime
1 garlic glove, grated
1/4 tsp agave

carrots, mango, cucumber avocado and cilantro ready to be rolled!

Spring Roll Mid-Roll :)

Once you get all your veggies grated and diced, set up your rolling station. Have 1 large bowl of warm water, one large plate to roll, and another plate to set your finished rolls. Get your rice paper wet and pliable. (They are brittle and like sheets of plastic until you wet them with warm water). Then, place your pliable paper on the plate.  Fill it with the carrots, cucumber, mango, avocado and cilantro. Then roll it up like a burrito. The paper will be sticky! Yum!

SO healthy and yum-tastic!

This meal was delicious! The tofu was tangy and salty and slightly sweet. It had a fantastic texture, with a caramelized crust and pillowy center. They were chewy and slightly crunchy. Completely awesome!

cilantro and green onions tie it all together!

Finally, the spring rolls! Oh my Gosh, these were outstanding. The flavor and texture of these rolls made them irresistible. First, the flavor: there was sweetness from the mangos, freshness from the cilantro, tang and saltiness from the dipping sauce, and brightness from the carrots and cucumbers! And finally, the textures. The texture contrasts made these rolls. The veggies were crunchy, the rice paper was wonderfully chewy and sticky, the mangos were deliciously juicy, while the avocado was luxuriously creamy. They combined to form the perfect bite.

so delicious!

And you didn’t think I’d forget to share my outrageous GF cookies with you?!?

Ever since finding out about my new food allergies, I haven’t been able to enjoy my GF French Macaroons since they’re made with Almond flour, and guess who’s allergic to Almonds?! Yep…Lil Ole Me. SO! I’ve been tirelessly trying to recreate my French Macaroons without the Almond flour. It isn’t possible, until I can get my hands on Pistachio flour — so I’ve tried to create something similar, and I finally got it!

I think I’ll call them GF Chocolate Chewy Crispers.

Here’s what you need:

2 egg whites, beaten to stiff peaks
1/4 tsp Cream of Tartar
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
2 cups GF Rice Krispies

Glaze:
6 semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 heaping Tbsp peanut butter
1 1/2 tsp water
sprinkle of salt
1/4 cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 375. Beat egg whites in a stand mixer. When they become foamy, add your cream of tartar. When they form soft peaks, slowy add your sugar. Then beat on high for about 7 minutes, until stiff peaks form. Stop your mixer and sift in your powdered sugar and cocoa powder. Then, fold it in — about 35-40 folds. Finally, fold in your Rice Krispies.

On a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet, place about 2 Tbsp worth of batter. Then, reduce heat in the oven to 325 and bake for 5 minutes. Rotate pan, and bake 9 more minutes. Then, turn off the oven and leave them in the Off oven for 30 minutes. When you take them out of the oven, you need to eat one warm — or two:)

After they’ve cooled, drizzle with the glaze. Heat the 1st three ingredients for 10 seconds in the microwave, stir until melted. Then stir in powdered sugar until smooth. You may need to add more water to thin it out.

gorgeous texture -- crunchy outside with soft, chewy inside! YUM!

These are FANTASTIC!!!!!!! The outside has formed a meringue-like crunchy-crispy crust, and then the inside is marshmallow-y with crispy-chewy Rice Krispies mixed throughout. Sinlessly Decadent!

Annie...making herself at home:)

Roxy wanted to rule the other couch :)

Happy Saturday from myself, and the 2 girls who rule the house!

GF Vegan Chili Lime Tofu Stir Fry Pasta!

Tags

brown rice, carrots, chinese, edamame, gluten free, Maker's Diet, mushrooms, pasta, peas, Roxy, spinach, tofu, vegan

Yay! My sis-in-law has arrived! Last night was so great chatting and catching up:) Today was a full day for her, house hunting all over Cincy! From 8:15 in the morning, until about 8pm! Whew! So, it was just my dad and I for dinner tonight — a little father/daughter date:) Lucky me!

gluten free AND vegan!

So what did I make tonight? I treated us to GF Vegan Chili Lime Tofu Stir Fry Pasta! Gosh, was this ever good! My mom does NOT like spicy things — read: black pepper is too hot for her:) So, with it just being my pops and I, I was able to make a dish with a little kick. And did this do the trick!

sweet, spicy, sour and salty!

Here’s what you need:

2 carrots, chopped
1 rib of celery, sliced at a diagonal
4 mushrooms, sliced
1/4 an onion, diced
2 spring onions, sliced
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/4 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup frozen edamame
handful of spinach, chopped
tofu, drained and pressed
1 tsp EVOO
reserved pasta water

sauce:
4 Tbsp Tamari (GF soy sauce)
1 Tbsp agave
juice and zest of 1 BIG lime
1 garlic clove, grated
5 mint leaves, chopped
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (more if you like heat)

yummy mushrooms and carrots!

Start out by pressing your tofu.

Cut your tofu into 6 slices, and then place them on a clean-kitchen-towel-lined plate, and press with a heavy pan. After about 15 minutes, cut the slabs into squares, and then the squares into triangles. Season with salt and pepper.

Sweet Chili Lime Tofu Stir Fry Pasta!

OK. Take a big, non-stick pan, and spray it with EVOO. Then, place your tofu triangles in a single layer in the pan, and let them form a crust — read: don’t touch them for 5-6 minutes. It was really surprising to me, that when they were searing, they were popping and sizzling! This is a good thing! While they’re searing, sprinkle them with 1 Tbsp organic sugar! Also, combine your sauce ingredients and set aside. Then, flip them, and let the other side sear for another 2 or 3 minutes.

Then, add 1 tsp EVOO, and the onions to the pan. Season with salt and pepper, stir them around, and then add your carrots and celery. Let those cook for about 4 minutes, and then add your mushrooms. Allow those to cook down and release their moisture. Add the garlic, and then add your sauce, being sure to coat all the tofu with your sweet and spicy sauce. Stir in your peas, edamame, spinach, and toss everything with your cooked pasta. Stretch the sauce with some reserved pasta water if necessary. Garnish with chopped green onions. YUMMO!

so many outstanding flavors and colors!

This meal was so delicious! I don’t know about you, but I LOVE having an Asian Cuisine night! The flavors of Asian cooking are so bright and fresh! It is a party in your mouth! And this dish was no exception! First, there was sweet, salty, sour and spicy all dancing around in this dish. The sweet agave, salty Tamari, sour lime juice, and spicy red pepper flakes combined to create this deep, complex flavor combination!

GORGEOUS crust on the tofu!

Finally, the textures were just outstanding. The carrots were a little crunchy, the peas and edamame *pop* in your mouth. The pasta is slurpy, and then there’s the tofu! Wow, searing the tofu gave these little triangles an AMAZING crust and texture! There was this delectably chewy outside – and pillowy, yet chewy inside. There was almost a sweet, “bark-like” exterior! A dish that is a 10!

Check the Sign: A spoiled rotten Papillon lives here. :)

Goodbye from Roxy!

This recipe is featured on Foodie Fix Friday!

Confetti Twice Baked Potatoes w/ Cod!

Tags

carrots, dessert, gluten free, Maker's Diet, mushrooms, mustard, peas, potatoes, Roxy, vegan

Today was my dad’s birthday! And to celebrate, he spent 3 1/2 hours at the doctor with me. What a great father. But that’s a perfect example of his character: he is such a loving and selfless father who will do anything for his family. He leads by example how to live a Christ-centered life, and I am truly grateful to be your daughter.

Happy Birthday Dad! I love you:)

So tonight, I wanted to make my dad something really special for his special day! I had my mom pick up a *grass fed* steak at the grocery store for him….but then I remembered it was a Friday during Lent — no meat. Looks like he’ll have a special steak tomorrow! So I served Twice Baked Potatoes (Two Ways) and Broiled Cod! Ooooh yum!! This was so good. And I was able to customize it too! I made vegan, veggie stuffed potatoes for me, and your traditional butter-sour cream-milk-cheddar cheese potatoes for my parents!

So yummy, and so healthy!

I wanted to have delectable veggies stuffed into my twice baked potatoes. They ended up looking like little presents! Potatoes covered in Confetti! Here’s what I did:

4 carrots, small diced
6 mushrooms, minced
1/2 onion, small diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup chopped frozen green beans
2 green onions, chopped
chives, minced
3 Tbsp white wine
1 tsp Dijon Mustard
splash of almond milk — plain, unsweetened

First, the potatoes…if you have the luxury of time, you can bake them for an hour, but if not…microwave them for 6 minutes (pricked), and then transfer them to a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes. If you want to be fancy-schmancy like I was with my parents’ potatoes, you can rub the outside with EVOO, and then sprinkle with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper. mmm! Take them out of the oven and allow them to cool so you can handle them. In the meantime…..

Saute your onions and carrots in 1 tsp EVOO, salt and pepper.  Let those cook for about 6-7 minutes until they have softened.  Then, stir in your garlic and let it cook for a minute before adding in your mushrooms. Allow your mushrooms to release their moisture and cook down. Then stir in your white wine and let that reduce. Finally, stir in your frozen veggies and green onions, and then take it off the heat.

Once your potatoes have cooled, slice them in half, and with a teaspoon, scoop out the center, leaving a little bit of a border — creating little canoes :) Put the scooped out centers in a bowl. Add your Dijon and milk, and mash your potatoes. Then, stir in your veggie mixture, and put heaping mounds back into the canoes.  Bake at 350 for 5-10 minutes. Yum! I dipped mine in ketchup!

D-lish!

——– OR ——–

You can have your potatoes like I made my parents. These were not vegan, and not a recipe for a happy tummy, but they sure were yummy! (So I hear.) Needless to say, my parents raved about them and were literally drooling over them….butter! cheese! What I did was put their potato “meat” in a separate bowl, and mashed it with 1 Tbsp butter (maybe a little more…I was generous), 2 heaping Tablespoons of sour cream, a good splash of milk, salt, and pepper.  I stuffed their skins with that, and then topped them with a mound of shredded cheddar. Bake again for another 5-10 minutes, until the cheese has melted. My dad requested the veggies on the side, not in the skins, so these potato skins were creamy, and truly luscious.

you can see the decadent potatoes in the top left :)

I served this with mouth-watering Cod from Lobsta Bakes. This wild, ocean-caught fish just flaked and melted in your mouth. Truly delicious. I broiled it with 1 tsp EVOO, salt, pepper, lemon zest and juice, and fresh chopped dill. Scrumptious.

Confetti Twice Baked Potatoes!

Finally, for my dad’s birthday dessert, I whipped up a quick bread pudding in literally 4 minutes. (I wanted to sneak it so my dad didn’t see :) ) I’m sure culinary experts would have added vanilla extract, heavy cream, other spices, and exotic egg bread…but I was in a scramble. This was not GF or vegan…if I would have made a dessert I could have eaten, it would have been a tofu chocolate mint pie. Clearly, that had a high degree of epic failure, so I just made something safe and speedy.

yum...so not gluten free or vegan :(

I just cut up 3 hamburger buns (it was all we had!) and mixed those with 4 eggs, beaten together with milk, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, a pinch of salt, and chocolate chips. I let it sit in the fridge for an hour and a half, and then baked it for 35-40 minutes in a 350 degree oven. I topped it with a little spot of butter and a quick melted chocolate-peanut butter sauce. They loved it.

This meal was so delicious. Even though I didn’t have the gooey cheese and tangy sour cream, I didn’t miss it! The dijon added great flavor, and I loved the fresh veggies. They were “loaded” — but in the Happy Tummy way! The peas popped in your mouth, and the wine gave a subtle, bright, sophistication. That, paired with the crunchy skins….mmm! Plus…it was absolutely priceless to see my parents’ faces when they realized there was real butter and sour cream inside their potatoes:)

bold, Roxy...very bold

Finally….Roxy decided to lay on my neck tonight…..sure…make yourself comfortable:)

My brother and sister-in-law are coming in to celebrate tomorrow! I can’t wait to see them!! Yay! I’m going to take a stab at a gluten-free cake with coconut butter icing! I’m sure it will be homely and disappointing….my mom got a “back-up” angel food cake just in case ;)

GF Eggplant Non-Parmesan

Tags

brown rice, eggplant, eggs, gluten free, Maker's Diet, pasta, Roxy, tomatoes

Apparently today is Pi Day…as in…it’s 3.14 :) The day that gives people a great excuse to bake a decadently delicious pie, and celebrate its deliciousness! Well, today, there were no pies baked in our kitchen…*tear*…unfortunately pies don’t lend well to a happy tummy these days.

gorgeous grilled Mahi Mahi

What I did make though, was a GF Eggplant Non-Parmesan with grilled Mahi Mahi. And, unfortunately, Happy Tummies, it was not “up to snuff” with some of my other meals. I thought it was delicious….but then I made it. My parents loved the pasta, but didn’t love the eggplant….I come to find out when we sit down that my dad hates eggplant, and my mom is not too fond of it either….whoops. So, their advice was not to blog it.

yummy eggplant non-parmesan

The Mahi Mahi, however, was delicious. Lobsta Bakes’ wild, ocean-caught Mahi Mahi was wonderfully steaky and scrumptious. And so fresh! It was just my mistake to serve eggplant to non-eggplant people.

beautiful :)

I really enjoyed it though!! The crispy outside of the eggplant, and then the gooey inside that just melts in your mouth! I loved it, but then I haven’t met a veggie I don’t like…even brussel sprouts!

But anyways, last night, we watched Black Hawk Down, and it was the first time I’d seen it. Oh my Gosh…what an intense and eye-opening movie. It really made me stop and reflect on the sacrifices these soldiers make to protect our country. Putting their lives on the line every day, being away from their families and loved ones, risking everything so we can sleep soundly at night. So today, on Pi Day…instead of baking pies or making witty remarks on the irrational nature of today, I’d like to thank all of the soldiers who protect this country, and defend our freedom by risking their lives.  You are truly heros, and I am forever grateful for your service to our country.

Ok, enough sappiness. That movie last night just really moved me.

Roxy, relaxing with me

Until tomorrow, Happy Tummies:)

Gluten Free Artichoke Pasta

Tags

artichoke, brown rice, gluten free, Maker's Diet, mushrooms, pasta, Roxy, tomatoes, vegan

Ever have one of those days where nothing turns out the way you’d planned? Well today was one of those days. I don’t know why…but for whatever reason, I found myself saying “whoops!” a lot more than usual.

Roxy, takin a snooze :)

It started with dinner. I had planned to make GF, dairy free, eggplant “parmesan” — but the eggplant that we brought home from the store was all brown and mushy on the inside. ((It looked and felt like a beauuuutiful eggplant from the outside!!)) OK, no problem! We have freezer staples–like artichokes–I’ll just make something with those!

super artichoke pasta w/ warm & toasty pine nuts!

After dinner, I wanted to post a healthy, happy tummy dessert…so I made gorgeous caramelized bananas with a vegan, chocolate ganache, garnished with crushed peanuts. I plated it creatively, decorated the plate — the whole 9 yards. Took pictures on my mom’s Droid…yadda yadda yadda. I go to upload for the blog…..none of the pictures saved because the battery was low. And…only 3 pics from dinner saved. :/

But that’s ok! We all need a day like today to keep us “on our toes” and to practice tolerance. Today reminded me the importance of being able to “roll with the punches.”

So what did I make for dinner? Artichoke pasta with toasted pine nuts and broiled grouper!

mmm...with a garnish of roasted cherry tomatoes & garlic

Here’s what you’ll need:

1 cup frozen artichoke hearts
6 button mushrooms, sliced
1/2 red onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup white wine
1 small can diced tomatoes
1/4 tsp dried oregano and basil
handful pine nuts, toasted
10 basil leaves, chiffonade
a few capers per plate, drained and rinsed
s&p

Saute the onions in 1 tsp EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil). After 5 minutes, add in the garlic. Stir it in, and then add your mushrooms and herbs.  Let them cook down for about 5 minutes, until they release their moisture. Then add your artichokes. After 3 minutes, add your wine and let it reduce for about 2 minutes.  Then, add your tomatoes. Let it warm through for about 5 minutes. Right before you serve, stir in most of your fresh basil, saving some for a garnish. Also garnish with pine nuts and capers.

Next: the grouper!

I broiled this outstanding, wild, ocean-caught fish from Lobsta Bakes with 1 tsp EVOO, salt, pepper, lemon zest and juice, and fresh dill. Oh my Gosh, it was so delicious. Moist and full of flavor, with a beautiful crust. This fish is wonderful because it is flakey, but it is also a more “meaty” fish. MMM!

the not-so-artistic, 1-of-3 pics from dindin :)

For a meal that was thrown together at the last minute, it was pretty darn good! The artichokes are so wonderful and earthy, and they pair so nicely with the crisp white wine, and the warm, nutty, pine nuts. The tomatoes gave it a nice body, while the basil was fresh and lovely, finished off with a *zing* from the capers. All and all, it was a delicious, healthy meal! Give it a try!

The BEST Gluten Free Pizza Crust — and PESTO PIZZA!

Tags

eggs, gluten free, green pepper, Maker's Diet, mushrooms, olives, pesto, pizza, Roxy, tomatoes

Tonight was a breakthrough. A win for team GF! Pizza is probably #2 on the list of GF foods that are most longed for — only behind great, crusty, sandwich bread.

Well let me just say, this crust did not taste gluten free.  The texture, the flavor, the crunchiness and chewiness made this crust 100% delicious.  I will go so far as to declare that I am no longer looking for a crust recipe — this is my #1. The outside of the crust was that crunchy, golden texture that everyone loves. Then the center maintained that crisp-chewiness. It was not at all dense, crumbly, cakey, or sandy like most GF crusts. Just good.

All of that gorgeous veggie goodness! This was before the blanket of vegan cheeze :)

And it was pretty easy to make…in fact, this was more like making a quick bread batter than dough.

This makes enough for one medium-ish pizza–it fed 3 people. If you’re feeding 4, you’ll definitely want to double the recipe and make 2 pies. We made ours in a stand mixer, but a hand mixer would work just fine. Here’s what you’ll need.

1 cup tapioca flour

1/2 cup sorghum flour

1/4 cup brown rice flour

1/4 cup GF AP flour mix (I used Bob’s Mill)

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp xanthan gum

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 1/2 Tbsp light brown sugar

1 cup warm water (not boiling, but warm)

good pinch of sugar

3/4 tsp active dry yeast

1 Tbsp olive oil (You can use 2 Tbsp, but my tummy only likes 1)

1 beaten egg

1/8 tsp apple cider vinegar

Here’s what you do: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Add all the dry ingredients and sugar to your mixer and mix them all together. (Use a hand whisk to make sure they are well incorpoated). Then proof your yeast in 1 cup of warm water with a good pinch of sugar. It will foam–let it sit for about 10 minutes.  While the yeast sits, combine your beaten egg, oil, and vinegar in a separate bowl. Then, with your mixer on low, slowly pour in your yeast water, and egg mixture. Beat that for about a minute on medium until it become smooth and battery.

Then, pour your batter onto a parchment-paper-sprayed-with-olive-oil lined cookie sheet. (That was a mouthful!) Using a silicone spatula, spread it out until it is nice and thin. Then, let that sit by the oven for about 15 minutes.

Bake it for 10 minutes, then take it out, spray it with EVOO, and return it to the oven for another 15 minutes until it is golden — keep your eye on it! You now have the most amazing pizza crust to top with whatever your heart desires!

check out that gorgeous emerald pesto!

Here’s how I topped it — WITH PESTO!

1 cup fresh basil

1/2 cup toasted pine nuts

2 garlic cloves

juice of half a lemon

1 Tbsp EVOO

3-4 Tbsp water

salt to taste

Whirl those in the food processor until you get your gorgeous, emerald creamy pesto!

So the pizza had a pesto sauce instead of a red sauce.  This was the absolute correct decision. Then I topped it with:

1 onion, 6 sliced mushrooms, 1 green pepper — all sautéed together with 1 tsp EVOO, 2 grated garlic cloves, S & P.

sliced kalamata olives, chopped sun-dried tomatoes

Veggie Shreds Mozzerella Style Vegan Cheese

The GF crust to end all crusts.

Oh. My. Gosh. This was AMAZING! The crust texture was phenomenal, the pesto was packed with fantastic basil and garlic flavor, the olives were salty, and the sun-dried tomatoes were sweet and deep. All combined to pizza perfection :)

Give this a try. You won’t be disappointed! — And Roxy wanted to make an appearance:)

Roxy...being a diva :)

GF Portobello Burgers with Goat Cheese and GF ONION RINGS!

Tags

apple, avocado, burger, carrots, eggs, GF onion rings, ginger, gluten free, goat cheese, green juice, Maker's Diet, mushrooms, Roxy

As this weekend comes to a close, I’m beginning to gear up for next week. Its a big week. We’ve gotta get some healing going on up in here, or I have to switch to more drastic and severe medicines. *eek* I definitely definitely don’t want to do that…I’m the advocate of the natural way! But, alas…*sigh*

Roxy, my sidekick

Its a good thing my new friend is always by my side:) Thanks Roxy.

GF Portobello Mushroom Burger with Goat Cheese!

For dinner tonight, we had a real treat. A bit of a splurge, you could say…even though it was mainly veggies! I made grilled Portobello Mushroom Burgers and Baked Onion Rings! Ooooh boy, these were amazing.

yummmm

Lets start with the Grilled Portobello Mushroom Burgers. Beautifully layered steaky mushroom, creamy mashed avocado, melty goat cheese (Old Kentucky Tomme), a “fried” farm fresh egg, tomato, grilled onion, and a fluffy GF bun! *swoon*

I grilled 3 large portobello mushroom caps (1 p/p). I lightly brushed the tops with 1 tsp EVOO, salt and pepper. I grilled the rib side down first, so that when I flipped it, I could fill it with a bit of shredded goat cheese, so it could melt.

Meanwhile, I mashed 1 avocado with salt, and sliced a tomato for the burger.

After the mushrooms have grilled for about 5-6 minutes per side, I took them off and let them cool for just a second while I fried the eggs–no oil, just a light spritz of olive oil spray.

Here’s how I layered the burger: bun–avocado–mushroom cap with melted cheese–“fried” egg–tomato–grilled onion–organic ketchup/mustard–bun. Lets just say I was wearing half of it by the end of the meal!

look at the crispiness of the onion rings!

Next…the show stoppers…the GF Baked Onion Rings! These were so delectable! They were so CRUNCHY!! Oh my Gosh! They were crispy and amazing! I will tell you though, these were very labor intensive.  But SO worth it! Here’s how you do it.

You will need 4 bowls:

1) Bowl of plain unsweetened almond milk

2) Bowl of 1/2 c GF AP flour

3) Bowl of 1 beaten egg

4) Bowl of GF bread crumbs (I made my own out of a GF bun in the food processor.)

Cut your onion into rings. The rotation of the bowls go 1-2-3-4 :) I started out being clean and using forks, but 5 minutes in, caved and just used my hands. Place the coated rings on 2 olive-oil-sprayed baking sheets.  Put them in a 400 degree oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown, flipping once. Eat just one…I dare you!

crispy, crunchy, baked GF onion rings! yes please!

I also want to share my fresh juice I made today!

Carrot–Celery–Apple–Lemon–Ginger…..Fantastic! I meant to put kale in, but sadly, we had none. It instantly wakes up all the taste buds in your mouth–especially the “zingy” ones! Raw, fresh-pressed juices are one of the best things for your body–since its fresh-pressed, the enzymes are alive and find their way into your organs, feeding and healing them!

feeling snazzy in a margarita glass

Until Tomorrrow:)

Grilled Mahi Mahi with Mango Salsa and Lime Rice!

Tags

chocolate, cilantro, cucumber, dessert, eggs, french macaroons, GF cookie, gluten free, green pepper, Maker's Diet, mango, peanut butter, Roxy, salsa, vegan, wild rice

I now understand why they say dogs are (wo)man’s best friend.  I have a confession: my dog, Roxy, has not always been my #1 fan. In fact…you could say we had a love/hate relationship. I bought her with my own money when I was in 7th grade. I fell in love with “the cute papillon in the window”…goodbye savings, hello Roxy.  Well, lets just say she bonded with my mother…and ONLY my mother.

my new best friend...she CHOSE to lay there!

To make a long story short, it seems that Roxy has a sixth sense and can tell that I am in pain. She has been my steadfast companion while I’ve been in my Ulcerative Colitis flare: staying by my side all day. And she now comes up and lays on my chest! I was able to snap a couple pictures of my new best friend. :)

Roxy...hanging by my side:)

It may have taken 9 years, but she finally has come around.

mahi mahi with amazing mango salsa

For dinner tonight, I made Grilled Mahi Mahi with Mango Salsa, and crisp cilantro lime wild rice! Ooooh boy this was amazing. My parents raved, saying this was the best meal I’ve made yet!

For the salsa:

1/4 red onion – fine dice–almost minced

1/2 yellow pepper, dice

1/2 cucumber, seeded and diced

1 mango, diced

juice of 1 lime

1 tsp EVOO

chopped cilantro

salt and pepper

Combine all in a bowl and pop in fridge for a half hour. This recipe originally calls for red pepper, but we only had yellow.

moist, flakey, and completely delicious

This was the garnish for my Grilled Mahi Mahi! Oh boy! Our friends at Lobsta Bakes have done it again! They provide Cincinnati with fresh-never frozen, wild, ocean caught, flown-in-daily-from-Maine, antibiotic-free fish! They have been an absolute lifesaver since I’ve been in the flare and eating The Maker’s Diet. Anyway! I grilled the Mahi Mahi steaks till they were flakey and juicy.

This is my dad’s favorite fish. He likes the meaty texture, (and the mango salsa didn’t hurt either :) )

cilantro lime rice and gorgeous mahi mahi

Finally, I made wild rice that was flavored with cilantro and lime. Holy Cow. Zesty!! First, wild rice is so fantastic because of its nutty flavor and crunchy texture. Not to mention the drama it brings to the plate with its dark, deep hue. I made it with veg stock, and then after it had evaporated all the liquid, I stirred in the zest of 1/2 a lime, the juice of 1/2 a lime, and a big bunch of chopped cilantro.

This meal brings a great *zing* to your palate with the sweet mango and the tangy lime and fresh cilantro. You definitely will not be disappointed!

light, airy, and so adorable!

Finally, I had the urge to make french macaroons again yesterday, and they came out much prettier than the first “rustic” batch! The recipe is here. I left them on the counter for a bit longer than 15 minutes, and that made the difference!

chocolate peanut butter macaroon!

I filled them with chocolate icing, peanut butter icing, and “swirl.” I just mixed the named ingredient with a touch of almond milk and confectioner’s sugar. How pretty!